JUST ADD HOPE: Welcome Home Angel helps make life easier for disabled kids

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — In this week’s edition of “Just Add Hope,” we’re showcasing Welcome Home Angel. It’s a home makeover program for children with disabilities.

“I got up every morning, and I prayed to God to give me the strength to take care of him,” said Alice Everett, who’s grandson Trepreme has cerebral palsy.

Trepreme weighed a little more than one pound at birth. He cannot do anything for himself.

“Trepreme is an interesting case, primarily because of the grandmother taking care of him. Here she is probably about 4’10”, and he’s probably about as tall as her, doesn’t weigh as much, but here she is trying to take care of this child,” said John Kaiser, founder of Welcome Home Angel, a local non-profit that works to make life easier for kids with disabilities and their caretakers.

Welcome Home Angel built a new bedroom and bathroom for Trepreme. It was a dream come true for his grandmother.

“It means so much to me, because people do not understand or want to help people like those special kids, but when Mr. John said it would, that was so awesome,” Everett said.

Kaiser came up with the idea nearly a decade ago and founded Welcome Home Angel four years ago. He knows firsthand about caring for a child with special needs. His daughter was diagnosed with Lyme disease.

“We think of home as being a nice, warm, inviting place, but for these kids who have illnesses or injuries and don’t have the mobility, it can be a somewhat dangerous and not a welcoming place,” Kaiser said.

Kaiser said it’s important to make the disabled children’s room a sanctuary of sort, because that’s where most of their time is spent. He has helped 14 families over the past four years.

Everett never thought she could take care of Trepreme, but says only by the grace of God and Welcome Home Angel, she’s learned that special needs children are the most special of all.

“A lot of people pass by them saying they don’t need love, but they need more love than we do,” Everett said.

Welcome Home Angel covers the complete cost of the makeovers through fundraising and generous donations from community businesses.

Click here for more information about Welcome Home Angel.